Receiving God's grace to overcome and start anew

Judges 3:9 (NKJV): When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

The word 'deliverer' here in Hebrew is 'yasha, yesha, or yeshayah (Yah, the Savior and Deliverer)', and the name 'Othniel' means 'force, strength of God', from the words 'Othniy' (meaning 'force, strength') and 'El' (the name of God Almighty). Indeed, Jesus is our Overcomer God, strong and mighty!

This deliverance came about at a time when the Israelites were brought back to the 'land' of their past. 

When the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and Asherahs (i.e. the gods and goddesses, or masters of this world), the anger of the Lord was hot against them. They were then sold into the hand of King Cushan-Rishathaim, the king of Mesopotamia and served this king for eight years (Judges 3:7-8).

What does 'Cushan-Rishathaim' mean here? It means 'double wickedness, or repeating wickedness of guilt and curse'. This speaks of your past 'guilt' and 'curse', or some recurring thoughts of your past 'trying to make a comeback' and 'attacking you over and over again'. 

Notice that 'Cushan' is from the word 'Cush', the son of Ham (Genesis 9:22-23), which speaks of 'guilt and curse', because Ham uncovered and exposed his father (Noah's) nakedness. 'Rishathaim' means 'double wickedness, or repeating wickedness', from the words 'rishah' (meaning 'condemnation, fault, wickedness'), and 'ayim' (speaks of 'double, plural, repeat').

How about 'Mesopotamia' then? What does it mean to the Israelites? It speaks of Israel's past, because it was here that the Lord spoke to Abraham: "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing." (Genesis 12:1-2) Abraham did not look back to Mesopotamia (speaks of his 'past') since.

People of God, have you been having nightmares or thoughts recently that bring you all the way back to certain past failures, mistakes, or shame of yours? And all of a sudden, all those past memories you've always wanted to forget begin to 'creep into mind' and 'haunt' you again! Or have you been feeling 'down' recently and memories of the past kept coming back as a recurring thought? For some, even certain faces or places may evoke (bring back to mind) past bad memories all over again!

You see, the devil will always try to pull you back to your past, or bring you back to the remembrance of your past failures, mistakes, sins, shame, disappointment, and defeat. In fact, he's good at that! The Bible says he (the accuser of our brethren) accuses us day and night (Revelation 12:10). But thanks be to God, because in Christ, we have overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and by the Word of our testimony! (Revelation 12:11)

Now there's a big difference between the Holy Spirit and the devil. The Holy Spirit will always remind you of your right standing in Christ, i.e. you are now forgiven, and righteous in Christ (John 16:10, Romans 8:1, Hebrews 10:17), but the devil will always remind you of your past guilt, failures, mistakes, shame, i.e. your dark past (Revelation 12:10). In short, the devil wants you to stay in that past, and he knows that as long as you stay in that past and get yourself stuck in it, he will always have the upper hand over you!

Not just that, the devil also wants 'history to repeat itself' in your life, and he wants you to 'relapse into your old cycle of pain again'. That's also exactly what Cushan-Rishathaim the king of Mesopotamia did to Israel those days! But thanks be to God because Jesus came and carried this curse when He died for you on the cross once for all some 2,000 years ago! (Hebrews 7:27) You see, God didn't allow history (of His suffering and shame) to repeat itself at the cross! And just as He did not have to die on the cross the second time, 'history' also need not have to repeat itself for you neither! 

So, just because you've been hurt in a business, relationship, or even in ministry before doesn't mean history must repeat itself! 

Judges 3:10-11a (NKJV) says, 'The Spirit of the Lord came upon him (Othniel), and he judged (i.e. ruled, delivered, saved) Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim. So the land had rest for forty years." Praise God! 

Do you see Jesus in the Old Testament here? He is in the Old Testament concealed, and in the New Testament revealed. 'Othniel' here is a 'typology' (the 'shadow' of things to come) of Jesus Christ today, your Deliverer. In cross-reference, notice in Luke 4:18-19, the Bible also says 'the Spirit of the Lord was upon Jesus', as He began His ministry on earth.

People of God, as you let go of your past and look forward to a brand-new year ahead, God's grace (supply, ability) to start anew is also very rich for you this coming year. Everyone has a past. It's a matter of to what extent (whether greater or lesser). So, no matter what your past may be, receive now a fresh release of His river of life (that brings life) and healing today. Receive also a fresh new grace for you to move forward. 

As you keep receiving this refreshing from the Lord, you know you have overcome your past and are ready to move on (by His grace) when you can smile and give thanks for who you are in Christ today and what He has done for you thus far (i.e. how He had worked in you till you are what you are today).

BUT NOW thanks be to God who always leads you in triumph in Christ, and through you diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14). NOW is your time to move on and  triumph again! Amen!